Quasi Experiment Design: Non Equivalent Groups

Assume that I wanted to test some treatment on A university Program Evaluation students in the School of Public Policy and Management. I decided to give this treatment to groups 1 and 2, and use groups 3 and 4 as a control/comparison group. Remember that you were divided into groups on the basis of your last name: alphabetically the first student went into group one, the second into group two and so on with the fifth student going into group one.

(1) Is this an experimental or quasi-experimental design? Why?

(2) What possible differences might there be between the two groups? (Hint: remember how I originally divided you into groups)

(3) What threats to internal validity would not be controlled by this design?

(4) Do you consider this a good design? Why?

Suppose I gave then decided to evaluate how much students learn about program evaluation in PPM 804N.

(5) What would be a reasonable comparison group? Why?

(6) Delineate your design using X's and O's, and label it with the appropriate name.

(7) Would you use a pre- and post- test? If so, generally define what form that test(s) will take (2-3 sentences - I don't need exact questions!) Will you use the same test pre and post? Why?

Solution Summary

Assume that I wanted to test some treatment on A university Program Evaluation students in the School of Public Policy and Management. I decided to give this treatment to groups 1 and 2, and use groups 3 and 4 as a control/comparison group. Remember that you were divided into groups on the basis of your last name: alphabetically the first student went into group one, the second into group two and so on with the fifth student going into group one.

(1) Is this an experimental or quasi-experimental design? Why?

(2) What possible differences might there be between the two groups? (Hint: remember how I originally divided you into groups)

(3) What threats to internal validity would not be controlled by this design?

(4) Do you consider this a good design? Why?

Suppose I gave then decided to evaluate how much students learn about program evaluation in PPM 804N.

(5) What would be a reasonable comparison group? Why?

(6) Delineate your design using X's and O's, and label it with the appropriate name.

(7) Would you use a pre- and post- test? If so, generally define what form that test(s) will take (2-3 sentences - I don't need exact questions!) Will you use the same test pre and post? Why?